Police are continuing their investigation into the death of a mother, who was killed in front of her young son after being hit by a car on Tuesday.

The 39-year-old woman from Joondanna was hit on Walcott Street in Mount Lawley near Learoyd Street about 3.35pm.

Police spokesman Sam Dinnison said the woman had been travelling north on Walcott Street when her vehicle had a minor crash with another vehicle.

He said the two vehicles stopped in the right hand lane, near the middle of the road to exchange details.

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Mr Dinnison said the full details about what happened in the lead up to the woman's death were still being pieced together but at some point when the woman was out of her car she was hit by a van headed in the opposite direction.

It has been reported the mother may have been hit while trying to get her son out of harm's way.